In this second leg a place in the Carabao Cup final beckoned for the team whose manager plotted the better gameplan. Whether Manchester United’s Ole Gunnar Solskjær possesses the tactical vision to outmanoeuvre a coach of Pep Guardiola’s ilk has become a prevailing debate regarding the Norwegian. The argument goes that a man who failed badly at Cardiff City and whose two titles as a No 1 “only” came with Molde in Norway’s top flight is a babe in a land of managerial giants embodied by the Spaniard who leads Manchester City.
After his year-plus in charge the Solskjær blueprint is familiar: soak up pressure, break with pace and hope a frontline marksman – Marcus Rashford, Anthony Martial or Mason Greenwood – can finish.
Rashford is injured so United came into the contest missing the 19-goal threat of their top scorer. It meant that on to Martial, who had 12, and Greenwood (10) fell the burden as strikes from midfield and defence in this team are a collectors’ item.
Perhaps in recognition of this their manager fielded them as twin forwards at the tip of a 3-4-1-2. If a common criticism of the Solskjær system is that it is one-dimensional, then the manner of City’s start illuminated this. Guardiola chose a 3-2-4-1 that intrigued as the sight of him deploying two holding players – in Rodri and Ilkay Gündogan – is a rarity.
Yet it pinned United back as Sergio Agüero, Raheem Sterling, Kevin De Bruyne, Bernardo Silva and Riyad Mahrez led the charge against opponents who were overrun in central areas.
Conversely, it also allowed the chance of a quick United counter if the ball was stolen and City were turned quickly – precisely in keeping with the Solskjær way. So it was that this mode of attack raised Guardiola’s fury when, from deep inside United’s half, Aaron Wan‑Bissaka skated forward, and suddenly a blur of red shirts appeared which was reminiscent of how City conceded twice before the break in this stadium last month.
That display had a surreal feel as Solskjær’s fragile team morphed into a vibrant force that made City appear a little too old, a little too slow.
Fast-forward to the semi-final first leg three weeks ago and that 2-1 league win felt even stranger as Guardiola’s side handed United a severe hounding that could have made it 8-0 at the interval rather than 3-0.
Asked in the buildup to this return how United could offer such contrasting displays, Guardiola spoke of their “weapons”. The prime ones are pace and youth and a confusing ability often to match the level of loftier opponents – as they did again here.
Clearer is what the 49‑year‑old’s team have that Solskjær’s lack: nuance and guile. Guardiola’s constantly calculating football brain was again evident on the touchline – his arms a whir of semaphore as he coaxed and pleaded and demanded his players keep up with the pictures in his head.
For most of the first half – and before a concerning dip in the second period – he could be pleased with how his side exhausted United with a dizzying pass-and-move game. It stymied Solskjær’s hopes of as quick a start as December’s when, by the half hour, United had scored both goals, the Norwegian’s plan executed impressively.
Instead Solskjær had to act, and did: showing his naysayers an in-game flexibility by tweaking the shape to drop Greenwood alongside Jesse Lingard in an attempt to stem the blue wave.
Moments later it yielded the kind of product managers dream of. The added man in midfield meant United enjoyed a sequence in City half’s and won a free-kick via Lingard, who drew Rodri into foul.
Now came a smash-and-grab strike in character for Solskjær’s team as Fred’s delivery was followed by Nemanja Matic rifling home.
The second goal United craved nearly arrived in the second half via the same opportunist mode: Harry Maguire should rue the header he spooned over from another Fred free-kick.
But while City take the garlands for reaching a third successive final United became more potent as the game aged, despite Matic’s sending-off.
Here then is some encouragement for Solskjær and the manager he must become.